// Quick Review // Oliver Seneca presents an intriguing yet creepy story in Faces in a Window, where his characters must endure the cursed nature of St. Stephen’s Middle School. Along the way, they are met with horrors that will haunt your nightmares.
---
// Other Information // Publisher: Hellbender Books Page Count: 295 pages Release Date: March 27, 2022 Series: None Tags: Fiction, Young adult, Adult, Thriller, Science fiction, Horror, Supernatural, Apocalyptic, Post-apocalyptic
---
// Book Description (from Amazon) // Every school has a secret.
After two beloved teachers pass away at St. Stephen’s Middle School, it’s up to Ian Evans & Michelle Thompson to fill their shoes.
But their eager anticipation soon turns to terror.
They are plagued with unexplainable nightmares and horrific visions: Students who aren’t really there; the school catching fire; scenes of their own deaths playing out before them.
Uncovering what it all means could cost them their jobs, or their lives. With each other’s determination to find the truth of the school’s past, and with the help of an old janitor, Ian and Michelle must risk it all to save more than just their souls.
---
// Review // Faces in a Window starts off with a gripping scene, one that kept me reading and interested in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed how the reader was thrust into chaos by just starting to read the novel, it made for an entertaining beginning.
Throughout the novel, Seneca manages to keep tensions high, even in the most harmless of situations. I was constantly aching to know what would happen next and what terrors were just a page away.
While the novel is a tad cliche, I did enjoy the story. I was interested in the history of St. Stephen’s Middle School, where the novel takes place. However, I did feel that the pacing threw off the excellent plot and made the book feel very repetitive.
The story is split between Ian Evans and Michelle Thompson. I really wanted to care about their characters, but the lack of depth to them made me not attached to them. Similarly, I did not care about their relationship at all. The interactions between characters felt very unrealistic, and they lacked chemistry. From the moment Ian and Michelle met, I could tell they were going to be love interests for each other. Unfortunately, I felt like their romance happened far too early on in the novel for it to feel real, organic, and compelling.
Where Faces in a Window really excels is its setting. St. Stephen’s Middle School and its haunted nature was intriguing and kept me reading to find out what its history was.
The novel has a really classic horror movie feel to it, due to the inclusion of many tropes. I liked the nostalgic feeling this had, despite it being a newer novel. While some might call it outdated horror, I definitely enjoyed the older feeling it had.
Overall, Faces in a Window was promising but didn’t necessarily live up to expectations. It had some great aspects and potential, but its characters really fell flat, pulling me out of the story. The novel is perfect to read when you want some thrilling scares but don’t want to be deeply unsettled or disturbed.
// Quick Review // While not exceeding my love of the first novel in the series, The Last Place on Earth presents a fresh and broad array of challenges that Katy Nicholas’ lovable characters must endure. Nicholas’ latest book is full of suspense, mystery, and high-stakes. After reading As the World Falls Down‘s sequel, I cannot wait for the third novel in this unpredictable series.
---
“Trouble was coming, looming on the horizon like a violent storm. And we were directly in its path.”
---
// Other Information // Publisher: Witchlight Press Page Count: 330 pages Release Date: March 20, 2021 Series: Cities in Dust #2 Genre: Fiction, Adult, Young adult, Apocalyptic, Post-apocalyptic, Dystopian, Science fiction, Romance
---
// Book Description (from Amazon) // Five years on from a devastating virus, Halley Clarke and Nate Reynolds find themselves back in Siren Bay where they fell in love. The peace is soon shattered when Halley begins to experience strange visions. The London community isn’t fairing much better either-Claire is missing, and not even psychic-conduit Eve can find her. Fortunately, Halley’s new abilities prove useful in locating the runaway teen. But what has spooked Claire enough to make her flee? As Halley’s visions intensify, a ghost from her past reaches out. He has the answers Halley so desperately wants. But he also has a story to tell her which comes with a dire warning; the broken man is heading to London, and it will have fatal consequences for someone Halley loves unless they can change the course of the future.
---
// Characters // While full of characters from the first novel (Halley, Nate, Eve, Claire, and the rest of the crew), The Last Place on Earth is also full of new and unfamiliar characters that left me curious. Nicholas does a great job of adding fresh twists to their story while still taking their series in one direction.
If you are not familiar with Halley, the main character, to-be mama bear, and all-around badass, then you are missing out. Halley was my favorite character in this novel due to her unmistakable motivation to protect everyone she loves. She is utterly selfless, which I really admire. And, would it really be a review of this novel if I didn’t mention Nate? The perfect man for Halley? No, it wouldn’t be. Nate is, again, amazing. He is kind, understanding, smart, and a total sweetheart.
I enjoyed how the love between Nate and Halley, even in the darkest of times, shines through. Nicholas does a great job of making their characters realistic and making it feel like Halley and Nate are right in front of you, acting out the chaos that can be found within the novel’s pages.
Introduced in this novel, most importantly, is Halley’s father. After reading As the World Falls Down I was desperate to discover the story behind Halley’s heritage, and The Last Place on Earth delivered it to me. The novel actually changes POV’s at one point, about 47% through, to Sam’s, where we learn about his past. His section was my favorite part of the novel because it was something fresh and unexpected. Plus, it answered so many questions that had been left unanswered after the first book.
One thing I want to acknowledge is that the characters are incredibly intertwined in this series in the past and present. It becomes especially evident during the switch to Sam’s POV. It’s one of the little things that I thought was really neat.
---
“There was no way that we would all come out of this alive. No matter what we did. No matter what scenario played out.”
---
// Writing and Setting // Nicholas’ writing has a way of drawing one in with a pleasant introduction, just to engulf you in a world of chaos and horrors.
Once again, the world of the Cities in Dust series is magnificent. It is dark and yet bright, despairing yet hopeful. The Last Place on Earth adds more to the world Nicholas created, yet also creates new questions about it.
---
// Plot // The book picks off right where As the World Falls Down ends. Halley and Nate have just found Rebecca, Halley’s aunt, dead. Halley is devastated and not ready to return to the rest of the survivors, so she and Nate take a stop at the place where they first met. After some recuperation, Nate and Halley travel back to the rest of the survivors to find that chaos has erupted. Claire is missing, a strange man may bring about the decimation of their family, and Halley keeps seeing spectral figures. Halley must navigate the past to learn how to best fight against foes in the future.
Unfortunately, I was frustrated at first with the novel. It took me a while to become really intrigued by the story. For the first half of the book, none of my answers were questioned and more were introduced. The only thing that kept me reading was my need to have my questions answered. However, I am so glad I kept reading because once the POV switched from Halley’s to her father’s I became fascinated with the story. The second half of the novel was my favorite and redeemed my opinion of it. It became fast-paced and answered my questions while also delving deeper into the world of the series.
---
“‘Every lifetime, no matter where in the universe you end up, you find each other. Every. Single. Time. Death is nothing but a minor inconvenience to the two of you.'”
---
// Overall Review // The Last Place on Earth left me excited for the next novel in this fantastic and intriguing series.